"Haebangchon, Seongsu, and Sinchon Landscapes Changed" City to Complete 'Residential Regeneration Leading Pilot Project' Within the Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Yuri Kim] The residential regeneration pilot and leading projects in eight first-phase urban regeneration activation areas in Seoul will be completed within this year. These areas marked the beginning of the 'Seoul-style urban regeneration,' which focuses on repairing and reusing rather than complete demolition. The eight areas are ▲Changsin-Sungin ▲Haebangchon ▲Garibong (leading project) ▲Seongsu ▲Sinchon ▲Jangwi ▲Amsa ▲Sangdo (pilot projects).

Seoul City announced on the 12th that 158 out of 192 projects in these eight areas, accounting for 82.3%, have been completed. The remaining 34 projects are in their final stages, aiming for completion by the end of this year. Representative projects include the installation of anchor facilities, improvement of residential environments, and preservation and revitalization of industrial ecosystems.

Over the past five years, 20 anchor facilities such as childcare centers, community cafes, libraries, sports facilities, and senior centers have opened. Old urban infrastructure like alleys, stairways, and sewage systems have been refurbished and expanded to improve residents' convenience. In Sinchon-dong, Seodaemun-gu, a steep and narrow staircase was replaced with an escalator in April.

The small-scale urban regeneration project called 'Gakkum Jutaek,' which combines individual home repairs with alleyway improvements, has seen 200 cases implemented over four years in eight areas since the first project in Jangwi-dong. Residents demolished or lowered fences between houses along the alleys, revitalizing the alleyway community. The widened alleys were equipped with benches and landscaping, floor paving, floor lighting, and old sewage pipes were upgraded.

Starting with the nation's first urban regeneration cooperative (CRC), the 'Changsin-Sungin Urban Regeneration Cooperative,' eight urban regeneration enterprises have opened in four areas including Haebangchon, Amsa, and Sangdo. In Haebangchon and Seongsu-dong, win-win agreements to prevent gentrification (displacement) were signed in 2016 and 2018 respectively, promoting sustainable local revitalization.

Seoul City plans to focus on follow-up management to ensure the sustainability of urban regeneration even after the completion of the initial projects. Through alleyway regeneration and the Gakkum Jutaek project, residential environments will be improved alongside maintenance of infrastructure such as roads, public parking lots, and sewage systems. Urban regeneration enterprises, essential for local self-sustainability, will adopt a phased management system (discovery - nurturing - support - management) tailored to each region and enterprise’s situation and capacity, going beyond existing subsidy support. Expert assistance in legal, tax, and accounting matters will also begin.

The first-phase residential regeneration projects focused on four key areas: improving living conditions (habitat regeneration), preserving and revitalizing local industries (workplace regeneration), utilizing historical and cultural assets as local resources (regional specialization regeneration), and establishing a sustainable, resident-led self-sustaining foundation (community regeneration).

Living conditions were improved through the refurbishment of urban infrastructure and expansion of community facilities using idle village spaces. Old alleys and stair railings were repaired, and crime prevention environments were created by installing CCTV, emergency bells, safety devices, and solar-powered lighting in dark alleys. Infrastructure such as shared community facilities was also refurbished and expanded. To preserve and revitalize local industries that have long driven the regional economy but have become outdated and declining over time, customized industrial regeneration projects suited to each area's characteristics were implemented. Through 'regional specialization regeneration,' which utilizes historical and cultural assets held by each area, village assets that were at risk of disappearing due to indiscriminate development have been preserved and re-highlighted through urban regeneration, reborn as competitive local resources. Seoul City formed resident councils in each regeneration area to ensure that from the selection of leading projects to overall project implementation, residents take the lead in a resident-driven approach.

Seoul City stated, "We will successfully conclude the leading and pilot projects over the past five years and proceed with follow-up management measures to address remaining challenges." To this end, since last year, comprehensive on-site inspections have been conducted in the eight areas, gathering diverse opinions through field feedback and expert consultations. The follow-up management measures include ▲continued promotion of residential environment improvement ▲improvement of related systems to activate small-scale construction and remodeling ▲strengthening support for urban regeneration enterprises.

Kang Maeng-hoon, Director of Seoul City's Urban Regeneration Office, said, "The core achievement of urban regeneration is the process in which residents take the lead in planning and executing the development of their own neighborhoods." He added, "The anchor facilities established so far will become spaces for grassroots democracy, and urban regeneration enterprises will be established as essential elements for local self-sustainability." He continued, "Based on the self-sustainability secured through the initial projects over the past five years, we will move toward a stage where residents themselves sustainably revitalize their communities."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.